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Barcelona registered an impressive 3-0 victory over VfB Stuttgart on Saturday in their second pre-season friendly of the summer.
The Catalans went ahead in the 21st minute through new boy Memphis Depay, who continued his brilliant start to life at Camp Nou. Yusuf Demir doubled the lead in the 36th minute before Riqui Puig took the game away from the Bundesliga side in the 73rd minute.
While the performance will delight Ronald Koeman, the Barcelona manager remains eager to add more quality to his squad before the end of August. The Blaugrana are attempting to shore up their midfield and defense before the start of the new campaign.
On that note, let’s take a look at the major Barcelona transfer stories from August 1, 2021.
Barcelona interested in Serie A midfielder
Barcelona is interested in Manuel Locatelli and has already submitted an inquiry for the player, according to The Hard Tackle via Mundo Deportivo.
The Catalan giants are eager for midfield reinforcements this summer after failing with a move for Georginio Wijnaldum at the eleventh hour.
Miralem Pjanic has been a shadow of himself since moving to Camp Nou, while Philippe Coutinho is also surplus to requirements at the club. Sergio Busquets is entering the fag end of his career, so Ronald Koeman wants to bring Locatelli to Spain.
The Italian has developed into one of the finest midfielders in Serie A since joining Sassuolo in 2018. His qualities were evident at Euro 2020, where Locatelli played a big part in Italy being crowned champions.
His progress has alerted quite a few top clubs in Europe, with Juventus leading the race for his signature.
Barcelona also remains interested, as are Arsenal, and the Catalans are hoping to steal a march on the Bianconeri and secure the Italian’s signature. However, the La Liga giants will have to offload players before they can initiate a move.
Catalans preparing second offer for Argentine defender
Barcelona is preparing a second offer for Cristian Romero, according to The Hard Tackle via Gianluigi Longari.
The Camp Nou outfit has already submitted its initial bid, which is rumored to be a swap deal. However, Atalanta has turned down their proposal, forcing the La Liga giants to re-plan their approach.
Barcelona is now ready to test the Serie A side’s resolve once again by offering a loan deal for the 23-year-old with an obligation to buy next summer.
The Catalans, however, could face competition from Tottenham Hotspur, who are also hot on the trails of the Argentinean.
Barcelona losing patience with Ilaix Moriba
Barcelona is losing its patience with Ilaix Moriba, according to Marca. The club is locked in negotiations with the player's representatives as they attempt to tie him down to a new contract.
Moriba’s current deal expires in a year, but talks of an extension have not been fruitful so far.
Barcelona has put all their efforts into negotiations and is fed up with the player now. The Catalans already have a contract on the table for the player, and it is the best they are ready to offer.
If Moriba continues to play hardball, Barcelona will sell him this summer.
